I thought this would be hard for me to review, mainly due to bias. Split Shift is a local favorite back home, I've been to three shows, I've met the band, and one of the guitarists is a lifelong friend of my cousin (so Split Shift discussions are a part of family gatherings). But then I realized that none of that has to do with me loving their songs. I can play their adrenaline-fueled music repeatedly without tiring of it. Screw bias - this is a damn good album.
They made a name for themselves in Western Mass. and Connecticut as Children of the Korn. After reaching an apex when Korn themselves invited the cover band on stage, COTK changed to Split Shift and started making original music. They kept some Korn influence but added more melody. Their heavy, angry, but catchy brand of metal gained the attention of Elektra Records, and in April '04, Split Shift released their debut Tension.
Tension begins with the fantastic Soul, a very heavy, epic-sounding track that features excellent guitar work and a short but unbelievable drum breakdown after the bridge. It's followed by Drowning, one that leans slightly toward rap-metal with its see-saw shouts. This is one of the most different tracks due to varying vocal styles and unique guitar work.
For the most part, this album is about aggression. Weight of the World wastes no time in blasting forth with its perfect conveyance of frustration. Witness and Face to Face are two strong tracks, both hurling lots of anger: "The game you play I cannot win/ It bleeds, it bleeds right through my skin." Despite all the aggression, every song on this album contains enough melody to make them easy to sing (or yell) along to.
Wrist, however, is just sick. It starts with a chugging riff, and when we hear the whispered "wrist," things crank up tenfold. While the chorus of "I'll just slit the wrist of this relationship" is heavy enough, it gets louder after the two verses. Their Korn influence shows through in singer Kyle Small's insane Jon Davis-like scatting, and they even reveal a touch of their death metal roots toward the end.
While the majority of Tension contains hard-hitting metal, Split Shift does show their softer side on a few tracks. Beautiful is fairly heavy but much slower than other tracks, as Small sings sweet lyrics about being apart from a loved one: "Your silhouette's all I taste/ From afar it seems out of place." Two instrumentals - Intro and Outro - come near the end. Despite being a slow instrumental, Intro is a perfect fit on this hard rock album, sounding a bit like slower Godsmack. Outro, however, is a bit out of place. It's a decent piece of music, but it sounds more Flaming Lips than Split Shift, finishing the album with a completely different sound.
Forget was an obvious pick for the first single. After its unforgettable riff begins, Small softly but raspily sings lyrics of betrayal ("I turned my head as you looked at me/ It felt so bad but it had to be") leading up to an extremely powerful and infectious chorus. Free could also feasibly be released, mainly due to its easy to sing along to chorus: "Do you have a savior?/ You belong to me/ I need to break these chains that bind/ Can we all be free?" Breathe, while a bit heavier, has another chorus that easily gets stuck in my head: "I'm trapped inside a feeling/ I'm living on a moment/ I'm breathing in the wake of/ Your new focus."
It's not a long album (under 40 minutes), but every track is solid. They keep the songs concise but not too short, though I think they have the capability to pull off something more epic in the future. Nevertheless, Tension is an excellent album. Split Shift knows how to make songs that could be hits but without losing any of the aggression that their fans love. This is a talented band worthy of attention, and if you're a metal fan, you'll love feeling the Tension.
For more info, or to order online go to www.splitshift.com
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